The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the proceedings against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case before a trial court in Maharashtra for allegedly blaming Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
“There shall be stay of further proceedings in a case pending before the trial court till the next date of hearing,” a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and P C Pant said.
The case against Gandhi is pending before a magisterial court in Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra.
It was alleged by RSS activist Rajesh Kunte, secretary of Bhiwandi unit of the RSS, that Rahul told an election rally at Sonale on March 6 that ‘RSS people killed Gandhiji’.
He said the Congress leader had sought to tarnish the reputation of the Sangh through his speech. Following the complaint, the magistrate's court had initiated proceedings and issued notice to Rahul directing him to appear before it.
The Congress leader then approached the high court seeking exemption from appearance and quashing of the complaint.
Rahul's lawyers argued that the complaint was motivated and malafide and deserved to be quashed. They argued that no case was made out against Rahul and the criminal proceedings initiated against him were part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election campaign.
The prosecution had opposed the petition and argued that Rahul can plead his case and lead evidence during trial before the magistrate.
The high court had dismissed the petition and refused to grant stay on its order. It had allowed the Congress leader time to appeal against its order in the Supreme Court.
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